In her first campaign e-mail message, Grimes says she has received overwhelming support since announcing and plans to build a grassroots campaign to match McConnell’s hefty fundraising machine.

“This campaign is going to require all of us to stand up,” says Grimes. “We need to stand up to the Washington insiders and their Super PACs. We need to stand up and demand that we elect leaders who will work to move Kentucky forward.”

Grimes didn’t mention McConnell by name in the campaign e-mail, but she took plenty of shots at the GOP leader who has amassed nearly $10 million for his re-election bid.

Just last week the McConnell campaign said it raised $2.2 million in the second quarter on its way to run a presidential-style race.

“We’ll never have a Congress that works together to create the jobs of the future if we don’t replace the people who are failing now to get the job done, and that effort begins with this campaign,” she says. “We need leaders who will work across party lines to deliver results – not dig in their heels and obstruct when they can’t get their way. The people of Kentucky deserve better.”

Grimes admitted she is the underdog in the race and national estimates agree.